Add preventive care to your health routine

Are you the kind of person who goes to the doctor only when you’re sick? You may want to change your ways and make routine doctor visits, well, routine.

Many adults shrug off regular doctor visits for one reason or another, and that could bring on harmful consequences.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 40% of fatalities linked to the five leading causes of death in the United States — heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke and unintentional injuries — could have been prevented.

“Preventive visits give your provider a chance to review your history and recommend cancer screenings or screenings for diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which are important risk factors for heart disease and stroke.”

Dr. David Weismantel, MESSA Medical Director

Don’t let 2023 be the year you skip your annual checkup. Take advantage of the free preventive care benefits MESSA offers to all members and their dependents when you go to an in-network provider.

If you have any questions about preventive care, call MESSA’s Member Service Center at 800-336-0013 (TTY: 888-445-5614) or connect with us via live chat through your MyMESSA account or the MESSA app.

MESSA’S preventive benefits:

One annual physical for all members and their covered dependents.
Up to two gynecological exams.
Cancer screenings, such as colonoscopies and mammograms, with some age restrictions.
A long list of immunizations and vaccines, including flu and pneumonia; COVID‑19; tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap); tetanus and diphtheria (Td); measles, mumps and rubella (MMR); and zoster (shingles).